NATURAL HISTORY. 



4i5 



Family X. Gymnotidee. (Gr. Tvuvot;. naked; vcDroc, the back.) 



GYMNOTUS. 







\ 



Electricus (Lat. clectric\ the Electric Ed. 



This curious fish, which exhibits the singular phenomenon 

 of voluntary electric power residing in a living animal, is an 

 inhabitant of the fresh- water rivers and ponds of Surinam, and 

 other parts of South America, where it was first discovered in 

 the year 1677. 



This power of emitting an electric shock, is apparently 

 given it in order to enable the creature to kill its prey. Those 

 who have seen the ELECTRIC EEL in the Polytechnic while 

 being fed, will have little doubt of this. The fish given to it 

 are, directly it becomes aware of their presence, instantly struck 

 dead, and then devoured.* 



Captain Stedman, in his account of Surinam, gives an ac- 

 count of the electric eel, which he, of course, had many oppor- 

 tunities of seeing. He attempted, for a trilling wager, to lift 

 up a gymnotus in his hands, but according to his own words : 



" I tried about twenty different times to grasp it with my 

 hand, but all without effect, receiving just as many electrical 

 shocks, which I felt even to the top of my shoulder. It has 

 been said that this animal must be touched with both hands 

 before it gives the shock, but this I must take the liberty of 



* This specimen is unfortunately blind, but it has learned to turn in the direction 

 of a paddling in the water, made by the individual who feeds it. The fish is scarcely 

 in the water before a shock from the Gymnotus kills it. The usual length of t?io 

 Gymnotus is about three feet. 



